April 2016

Remember those old low-waist Levi’s denim commercials featuring the belly buttons finally coming out to play, singing along to Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out”? That is exactly the sort of mood I am in right now. And that mood is truly the bomb. A belly button flashing way of life is a confident one that I have finally come to find my groove within. Thanks pilates and barre class for giving me that extra push to feel good about myself in a crop top. I’m not afraid to admit that those things help compliment those feel good vibes about myself, because those vibes are something that do sometimes need to be worked hard for. And this feeling of approval I can only give myself before anyone else can. Never before has the feeling of light on that sliver of skin right below the ribcage felt so liberating. And it’s less about the physicality of how our midsections look fully exposed and more about the confidence to embrace our bodies for the way they are. And the way they move and take us places. And the way they feel all on their own on our best days. Unaltered. Natural. Without the judgement of others.

I love Coachella, because it feels totally and completely like the no judgement zone. No one cares if you jiggle in your short shorts, or if your neckline is too low, or your crop top is too short. True, there are many lines drawn that are crossed during music festival season, but isn’t that the fun of it all? It’s our bodies and we can do what we want. I like to think of it in this way . . . .that the music in the air fills the gaps where coverage on the body is lacking. Where music and life and love and friends gives us reasons to forget how we look in a bikini, and focus more on how we feel in the moment no matter what we happen to be wearing or not wearing. It’s the freedom to be comfortable in your own skin without pressures to fit into some other mold formed for us by someone who is not ourselves. And this freedom I want to carry with me everywhere I go. Not just out in the middle of nowhere in the desert just a few weekends out of the year. No, I want it embedded in my brain and soul always and forever. I want it to stick with me, belly button out or covered up beneath a woolly sweater. Thank you Anna Sui for designing the perfect little set for me to dance like nobody’s watching with my belly button out. Because why not and because it deserves to be and because I deserve to feel good about myself this way. Love what your momma gave you and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. And be proud of it! They can take it or leave it. You take it. Oh haaaiiiii belly buttons.

Society 6 is my new favorite online destination for a unique shopping experience. When I shop online, I’m usually looking for one-of-a-kind pieces to decorate my apartment with. Bold yet subtle statement pieces to bring to life the darker corners of my home space, or complement my already light-filled areas. It’s fun and therapeutic for me to freshen things up at home with art and decorative knick knacks for a new season. The same goes for changes with my mood. I want my environment to match my vibe. It’s spring and nearly summer, so color is everything I’m looking to put up on my walls. Society 6 makes it so easy for me to do so. And I love that the site focuses solely on supporting unknown artists, and that each sale goes directly to each artist to support their creative endeavors. It’s such a treat for me to look through the website. I got three new framed prints to add to my home. I’m very driven by nature and color, and I love the juxtaposition of the two, especially in the “Hello” and “Sea“ prints. But my favorite of them all is the “A certain kind of magic” print because it’s fashion taking a loop. Take a look here to see how I made them feel at home in my cozy Brooklyn space that is still a total work in progress!

Check out my curated collection of Society 6 products that I am drawn to, including the prints featured in this post. Maybe you will love them for your home, too. Or just have fun exploring the site and stumbling upon new artists and home decor pieces like rugs, duvet covers and even pillows. It’s inspiring to say the least! And there’s nothing more worth the time to invest in than your own home 🙂

One of the most delightful experiences of our stay in Reims, France with Veuve Clicquot was the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin House, founded in 1772, and it has been running its engines ever since. The history of Madame Clicquot and the lifetime of her work dedicated to champagne was ingrained into our minds as we toured the house and the company’s original cellars where the champagne has been aged to perfection for decades and decades. I know that her legacy will stay with me forever. Madame Clicquot was a widow at the age of 27 (“clicquot” means “widow” in French), and the family business was left in her hands to run. From that moment on, the history of champagne in France (and the world over) changed forever, and for the better. She really stuck with the motto, “Only one quality, the finest.” Because really, if you think about it, the woman always has the better taste. hehe. Her natural instincts, trust in her gut and passion for perfection were the things that brewed up what many believe to be the best champagne ever tasted. She paved the world of champagne to come. The model and the standards. She set the bar to an extreme level of greatness. To her champagne was a science, an art and a way of life. Such an inspiring story on the front of female empowerment and self motivation to say the least.

We partook in a mixology lesson one day at the house and concocted our very own mixed cocktails with fresh ingredients and the new Veuve Clicquot Rich champagne. Mine was mixed with some sliced kiwi, pomegranate seeds and orange extract from the peel. I was going for a drink that was summer and fresh, but also easy on the eyes and full of color. It may not have won best mixed cocktail in terms of originality, but I thoroughly enjoyed drinking mine and I’ll drink it again and again!

The Veuve Clicquot house is very special, with only exclusive guests allowed to stay over. We felt lucky we got to explore the rooms of the house, each inspired by a different country. Each room’s color scheme overwhelmingly fluid. The American room like liquid gold. While the majority of our group was obsessed with the French room, I was drawn the most to the green-tea inspired Japanese room. Of course I would be. Hope you enjoy a few of these pictures I snapped during our time in Reims.

Coming from NYC to Coachella is like overpassing spring and leaving winter for full-blown summer. Now I am currently back in NYC, and the weather is surprisingly upbeat and the birds are chirpy, and things seem to be on the fringe of something delightfully new. Summer is calling and memories are rolling back. I’m not passionate about any other season as much as summer, I’m sure that is easy to tell. The Grecian sandals start to come back out to play and they never seem to want to leave my feet. This particular pair by Matisse Footwear is the perfect compliment to all my summertime skirts. I picked this pair up at Bloomingdales, and it stuck out from the pack of warm weather sandals in the whole department store because of its subtle bohemian-ness and quality suede. I even love it under a long maxi skirt on chillier days . . . such a transitional pair of sandals.

And I love fringe in the summer because it moves with me. All of my twists and turns late into night are overly exaggerated by its length and infinite motion in every direction. Fringe is the energy of the season to come and this leather skirt embodies that all. Every time I come back to California around this time of the year, I realize again how lucky I am to call this place my home. A place where people from all over the world flock to all year long in search of sunshine, tans, happiness and a new way of life that seems effortless yet escapist at the exact same time. California really is a dreamland, if you set your foot in the right parts. Where nature is a plenty in all directions and faces are friendly and noses are a little sunburnt at the tips and where a morning hike may replace three cups of coffee. When I come home and focus on these things, I forget about the traffic and the smog and the Hollywood night scene and the too many vegan restaurants lining the streets in Venice Beach. No, I focus only on the things that suit me because they will forever be mine. They are in my blood. Those are the things I will always hold onto, even though I currently live all the way on the other side of the country. There will always be no place like home. And every time I’m away, my skin itches for that dry desert heat. And it makes me sad when I’ve been away too long and forget what it feels like. And then when I do feel it, it’s as if I’ve felt it all along. So keep myself on this energy high left over from a sun-soaked weekend in the California desert, I’ll take the fringe back to NYC with me to dance with in this summer. It might be sticky, but it’ll be the next best thing.